What CASTLEVANIA Is Really About

[@OneTakeVids]

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[@FreedomAndPeaceOnly]

Truly a very beautiful analysis. But for the average joe the later seasons were just one thing. An uncreative, very often seen *_" O'h damn we don't know what to do anymore, so lets just kill off all the interesting Vampire characters. "_* from the writers. You never do that if you just want to end things for good. 😒 As someone who has written in RPG forums and seen other writers, I can only say the off-killing off so many characters later on was a waste. An open-ending would have been much better for the show and the fanbase. Btw. *TOMORROW* the best Vampire simulator of the young time releases it's first big expansion. ' V Rising - Gloomrot ' 👋🧛

[@Krotas_DeityofConflicts]

Nietzsche has shown that with rationality and reasoning, actions can often be beyond good and evil

[@Mediados]

Isaac literally has the best character development I have ever seen.

[@Sid_Streams]

Also the best dialogues in the series.

[@raidermaxx2324]

Wow.. You havent played alot of games yet , have you? I mean its good character developement, i agree, but the best? ya sure that you have ever seen, if you've only played like 5 games, its possiblee that its the best you have ever seen. But ive been playing games since 1983, and it aint the best, thats for damn sure.

[@Mediados]

@@raidermaxx2324 Ive been playing games since I was 6 so I sure would say I have played a lot of games. To be fair, I cant hold up with 1983, but still. Which chatacter would you say has a better arc?

[@AndreSilva-op7uo]

Zukos character development is better

[@Mediados]

@@AndreSilva-op7uo Honestly, I dont think so. Zuko had great development, but Isaac is a mass murderer and in league with hell, but at the end of the series he found peace. Zuko was never REALLY a bad guy, we see his journey to finding himself.

[@thebigsida6645]

The ending of the series was surprisingly wholesome and nice which was super refreshing

[@leandervr]

I liked it too, because by that point a happy ending for the characters is so incredibly earned.

[@oklahomie95]

@@leandervr exactly. This show had such good writing and having protagonists who actually earned their happy ending was one of the best parts

[@marianokaz1503]

I wanted to convince myself that the ending wasn't that great, but I surprisingly cried at the end, I have some gripes with it but still.

[@bernardotorres5274]

@@oklahomie95 I agree on the characters and ending, but the writing did suffer from time to time. From them basically scrapping the idea of building a team, to suddenly the corrupt priest being able to make Holy Water after he was dead and revived. Also Death explanation doesn’t make sense and it is quite confusing.

[@Mediados]

@@bernardotorres5274 Why doesn't Death make sense? If Dracula went on to wage war on all of humanity he would have gotten much more powerful, maybe powerful enough to break out of his eternal cycle.

[@Elizabeth-mf3dn]

Alucards depression and isolation made his character so relatable during covid lockdown. Especially when he made the dolls of Trevor and Sypha 😭

[@Mellorolo]

The conversation with the captain of the ship was where the meaning was most apparent to me, where Isaac decides on fixating his focus on a good ambitions instead of atrocities.

[@tristansylvester1079]

Something not mentioned, is when one night creature tries to hand the doll to the talking one. It was played as a comedy, but it was genuinely a mute monster recognizing that the other talking monster enjoyed playing with the toy, and trying to give it to him for him. The mute creature didn't strike me as making fun of him or having any malice, just trying to give it to him

[@tristansylvester1079]

(Also the other night creatures didn't seem to mind rebuilding the town, but thats a little harder to point to as anything more than a feeling. This though was a specific example of a random night creature trying to be nice to another. Id also argue the angelic and most night creatures seemed like he genuinely wanted to protect issac and not just because he's his master. But that's also Just an impression)

[@Tigercup9]

@@tristansylvester1079 I think that the actions of the bodyguard night creature at the end are extremely important to point out. Hector states that night creatures must obey the will of their forgemaster, and at Carmilla's death Isaac is rushing her to get the kill. Isaac's goal, his will, is to kill Carmilla. The bodyguard night creature stops Isaac, goes against his goal, in order to protect him from her explosion. This to me indicates that the night creatures are capable of doing more than following orders and capable of wanting more than to kill and destroy.

[@carna-9501]

​@@Tigercup9 they seem to follow something similar to Asimov's laws of robotics, in addition to having the knowledge that if their creator dies, they too will die and return to hell.

[@llaytonshuemaker3830]

When I saw that I felt the same way. It was actually very wholesome.

[@yucol5661]

I thought the night creatures where just human souls from hell resurrected with monster bodies. Just dummer or more instinct driven since their bodies where different than human bodies. And forced to obey Isaac.

[@AuspexAO]

I like that Castlevania focused so much on the two forgemasters. The word "forgemaster" has implications of building and creating (even if all they create at first are monsters). Forgemaster magic can ONLY be human, as well, it is said no vampire can master the power. By the end of the series, they are builders in the strictest sense. They are wise and look to the future. (Also, I took Trevor's assault on death right after he acknowledges Sypha's pregnancy is a nod to building a future the only way he can. He expects to die in the battle, but leave a world for his child to grow in. He's an old killer, but with this last killing he can create something). I'm glad he lives, though, I think the world needs hunters just as much as it needs builders. Sometimes the way to build a stable community is to raise livestock and build homes, but other times it is creating peace by making sure destruction cannot be inflicted upon all that you have built by monsters.

[@TheGosgosh]

„Forging their own fate“, eh?

[@DANTVSVERGIL]

I mean, Trevor fighting for a better future is quite literally the reason Belmonts fight. The Belmonts are remembering and carrying on Leon Belmonts wishes of keeping people from suffering the same fate his Fiancé (Sara Trantoul) did. The Belmonts entire outlook on both their job and their lives is to protect humanity from darkness so that they (Humans) can have a better and peaceful life. Even though the Belmonts were exiled as the powers they had scared the populace, they still fought to protect them, no matter what.

[@blumiu2426]

They are necromancers in every sense. Actual forgemasters, in the lore, created Innocent Devils from the power given to them from Dracula, while the show just gives them tools to transform the dead into creatures.

[@DANTVSVERGIL]

@@blumiu2426 Also, lorewise, the Devil Forgemasters have powers that, to quote Trevor Belmont, “Rival that of Death”. And Hector was the strongest between him and Isaac, while also being Dracula’s personal favorite of the two, as they were also his generals alongside Death. Hector was so powerful that he was a bit frightened at who was strong enough to kill Hector and his army of night creatures, at first thinking it was Trevor until he realized that so far the only people in Wallachia of note was the Roman and Orthodox Churches, Trevor himself wasn’t in Wallachia yet but was just entering. So the only other option of people strong enough to kill an army of night creatures by themselves was Hector and that worried Dracula so much he sent Isaac out to find him.

[@blumiu2426]

@@DANTVSVERGIL It's not hard to imagine given they can create creatures from the ether, pretty much. It's close enough to Dracula's power of Dominance, to which they stripped from him in the show for the plot to exist. Another fun detail is that only in artwork is Hector shown with a sword, but otherwise he's bare-handed, like in the game. That speaks volumes, as well as suggesting as in the games, Devil Forgemasters are masters of arms. On top of that, someone that powerful was beaten by Trevor. Explains how superhuman the Belmont are and why they are feared yet respected. There so many layers this show could have gone into yet didn't attempt. Netflix.

[@rahn45]

I think Lenore's death wasn't about her being unable or not wanting change, but rather she was terrified of it; because there was only one path for vampires to take when changing: And that was down the path of cruelty and insanity, like Carmella and like Dracula. With that in mind, she wanted to die as she was; and not who she would (in her mind) eventually become. Perhaps it's part of the vampire's virtues (or curses) that they are 'perfect', and the only path available to them is for that perfection to erode away into madness.

[@nathanmorgan3647]

I think Lenore's death was about a lazy writer that hated Hector as a character, emotional contrast with the cornucopia of silly happy endings they had already decided to dole out like candy at Halloween, and a rushed season that sacrificed cohesion and point for battle scenes. :)

[@Ch50304]

@@nathanmorgan3647 yes, have to agree.

[@lockekappa500]

@@nathanmorgan3647 Well the writer got pushed out of the show because of his allegations, so I can imagine a lot of the rushed and illogical conclusions had to do with that. It does say something that I teared up more when the two female vampire lovers who still found purpose in each other than when Lenore killed herself.

[@floppa4934]

@@nathanmorgan3647 I agree with this personally I wish she lived but what's done is done

[@whoanelly-]

Well, Lenore realized and questioned her purpose even under Carmilla's rule. So in a wolrd where a bunch of vampires were now precieved as dead to her knowledge plus being under some form of control through the watchful eye of Isaac, she probably figured what life would she really have? She knew what she was and probably figured there is no changin and like Carmilla, would go on her terms.

[@FunNFury]

Whoever wrote Castlevania is a damn philosopher, and i love it.

[@BathedInMilk]

Warren Ellis. Legend.

[@theamazinggarbage3209]

@@BathedInMilk I’m pretty sure he was the not the og writer, just the adapter.

[@sss1029]

@@BathedInMilk warren ellis wrote insufferable, super edgy reddit atheist tier dialogues.

[@veng3r663]

Oh I'm sure that they was receiving ample.. outside 'inspiration'...

[@MrSilentProtagonist]

Not really. It is the same tier that pretentious Rick speech about Evil and being smart.

[@Ryne749]

When alucard says, "the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing," in sotn, thats like the philosophy of several characters and lesson learnt early on by trevor. I like how that connects back to the games

[@kristi4113]

I’ve always thought the first true villain of the story was the Church. They caused all of the following actions due to killing a curious woman and by filling the heads of their followers with fear and lies.

[@blumiu2426]

Ellis turned the church into an antagonist. In the actual story, the church actually hired Trevor and it raised Sypha to fight the creatures of the night. It was the only other force in Europe shown to be fighting against Dracula's armies. They just flipped it and made the church kill Lisa when it was a mob of peasants (even shown in the game) and made Dracula sympathetic. Sympathy for the devil. In all of Castlevania's history, the church has actually never been evil, only I believe in Order of Ecclessia did we see a sect become corrupted. It's not supposed to mirror the historical.

[@mightyeye4624]

You hit the nail on the head.

[@Avenus112]

@@blumiu2426 Sure but it made a more complex drama. Setting history and reality aside, it made Dracula have a point but he took it too far. The church also had a point about him and the devil and the church did too. The ambiguity led to a much richer context and story because everyone is understandable but grades of inexcusable.

[@blumiu2426]

@@Avenus112 That makes no sense. Having it's own history would make it just as valid and form it's own drama and mystery. You are only saying you have no imagination to realize anything like alternate history exists, which is exactly what Castlevania would be. He is not Bram Stoker's Dracula, which is what you're talking about. Mathias Cronqvist, Dracula's real name in the lore, had no justification. He lost his first wife, Elizabeth to illness, blamed God and wanted to take revenge. To do this, he constructed a plot against his best friend, Leon Belmont, to have his fiancé kidnapped by a powerful vampire, which led to her death. Dracula has bred misery ever since on humanity, so he was actually blessed to have found Lisa, though he didn't deserve it. The church was made an antagonist for the show because Warren Ellis is famous for hating religions/Christianity, so he altered their major context of the lore to fit his personal views. This not only has implications for the series going forward that will alter things majorly, but it already rewrote the history of the Belmonts relation to them and Sypha's background being raised by the church.

[@Avenus112]

@@blumiu2426 no it makes perfect sense in the context of this piece of fiction, you just don't like it because it defies your ideology and that helps you pick fights on the internet. Dracula is not an alternate history, it is a separate piece of fiction. The games version of Dracula did not have a point about the world of humans, this version of Dracula does because they are different stories about different themes.

[@sea_triscuit7980]

Issac definitely resonates with me, as someone who has been through absolute hell throughout his life due to the misdeeds of others. I've always reacted to life instead of acted... I'm trying to change that but it's a difficult thing to master

[@strange7s545]

Lol I bet that hell you been through was actually your mum not buying you a Xbox or something lol

[@hardcrowley1549]

Goodluck on that, hope u find ur way

[@purpleprinc3]

@@strange7s545 Nah it was taking your mom out on a date trolololol BOOM PRANKED BRO 🤣🤣🤣😘

[@Mae_Dastardly]

@@strange7s545 You're the reason people like isaac exist.

[@rosesweetcharlotte]

Be better, that is all you can do. And it is hard, it has many setbacks, but you get there eventually.

[@sunflow57]

This show gave me my favorite version of Trevor and I'm grateful for it. The dude is so funny yet so badass it's perfect

[@OneTakeVids]

Same, he made the show so fun to watch. Hoping they can recapture some of that spirt in the spin-off. That's the one thing that bums me out about the next series-- I was such a fun of these characters!

[@AlejandroGonzalez-ej4lp]

that's funny, he looks like a gary stu to me..... but only when the plot need that

[@aidenparker5955]

​@@OneTakeVids 14:47 - 15:03 And it has been done so many times that I feel the characters on media aren't heroes and aren't at all not really doing everything they say and do to help people but they really just doing everything they say and do like out of like their own personal sinister negativity related weird sense of gratification, this sort of hubris and narcissism that they have the responsibility the weight of everything on their shoulders. When in reality, that's not true at all like they could bring a little positivity related motivation inspiration to people around them as you pretty much just said with Castlevania, like there are other ways we could help people without being an utter jerk to people or have violence involved, but even if there are some complex moral issues there, that's not the point that's not the reason why many of the media characters do and say what they say and do. they're all really doing and saying everything they say and do because they each clearly related to being upset (threatened, stressed, afraid, angry, Full of rage even, having urges to have authority and control everyone and everything around us), we each have mental issues that they and we (audience) refused to admit.

[@SteffanBlanco1]

very different from the games

[@NicoUnken]

I am SO glad to see Castlevania end in an uplifting, positive note. It's such a stark contrast to the catalyst for the series - switching from seeing the foolish cruelty of humanity to seeing the clever hope of humanity!

[@smaina1499]

I'd never really thought of it like this: the theme of choice. The choice between good and bad. And I guess this is what makes Castlevania such an amazing show!

[@natepearson9804]

Another great example is Star Wars. George Lucas has always been criticized for writing a stereotypical heroes journey about good vs evil. In reality, Star Wars isn't about good and evil, it's about the choice between good and evil, just like what we see here with Castlevania. It's such an intriguing type of story to watch unfold because the bad guys always end up being memorable.

[@supercrazyfawful8779]

I loved Death being the big bad at the end, but I do agree that it was a little out of nowhere, I personally think that season 4 should've been stretched out into a season 5 for more build up for Death and just have Carmilla be the main villain of season 4 while planting the seeds of Death in the background and have Death take center stage in season 5. Still loved season 4 tho.

[@oklahomie95]

There kind of was seeds planted though. If you rewatch, a lot of things that Varney says throughout the season make a lot more sense and there’s hints dropped throughout about what’s going on

[@Bowiiihowdy]

@@oklahomie95 that and the fact he was voiced by Malcom McDowell.. I thought it was weird casting such an esteemed actor for what was initially a joke character

[@yogicyd]

Netflix Castlevania proves to us that a great character developement only need a good script and "slow but in perfect timing" story pace... Anw that bloody tears at the end really lit my day up

[@oklahomie95]

I wish more shows would take notice honestly.. The character development, the power creep, flushing out the world and the lore.. All of it was done at such a great pace and proves you don’t have to be action packed the whole time

[@bernardotorres5274]

That is the only strong point (besides animation) the show has. The story and world building does suffer in the long with some very glaring flaws.

[@SteffanBlanco1]

it was an ok show when it came to writing. Could've been better

[@victorstle2087]

I like how Dracula returns with his wife, Lisa, in tranquility and love. Would love to see the family reunion with Golden Christ hybrid alien Alucard down the line. Cried so much over this show. Reminds me of my Transylvanian family.

[@user-lk1fn7nk8w]

your what

[@Raven_Black_252]

Lenore knew the cage wasn't the one she was sitting in, but her nature as a vampire itself. Like she said, vampire virtue of stability was keeping her from living the way she wanted to live. She was truly different than other vampires, she cared and loved, had compassion for both animals and humans. She was the only one who had a concerned look when Carmilla revealed her big corridor plan for human enslavement with the 4. She was brave enough to look at the sun and wanted to feel what Hector felt, but she couldn't because of her nature. It was the warmth of the sun, not the look of it that matters. She tried to understand and feel, but that act of change killed her.

[@oklahomie95]

Great breakdown. I never made that connection at the very end about her wanting to see and feel Hector felt, but only being able to see

[@abdullahpoyraz2838]

she was not ready to try tho, dracula was with lisa and he changed until her death, lenore chose to die insted of trying to change, she was pretty weak (and pretty)

[@xdsmile5359]

I never remembered lenore dying I always thought Hector and her would find a way to make her human again

[@notmarealnameboi]

I haven't seen it in a while, but I felt like Hector showed her vulnerability/lack of power and she couldn't live with it.

[@umapessoa240]

Death being a one note evil fits this analogy very well because he really embodies the evil of not thinking: his one goal is to kill and to feed with no nuance or inbetween, the rest be damned. If “good” is thinking life through, Death is the true “evil”: a singleminded predatory animal with no goal or motive beyond finding his next meal.

[@Sid_Streams]

And also Death is typified by allowing no potential for reoccupation. Reoccupation is also a central theme. Giving things a new purpose instead of neglecting or destroying them. As symbolised by the Dracula Castle.

[@MrSilentProtagonist]

Nah, the show is unironically a mix of Gnostic and Satanic beliefs. Death represents the evils of physical world and vampires are right to escape it.

[@nightmarishcompositions4536]

It’s a very interesting contrast to how Death is portrayed in Sandman.

[@MrSilentProtagonist]

@@nightmarishcompositions4536 How? There is no nuance.

[@splatbubble]

There is nothing evil about a predatory animal :)

[@finfen9730]

That was such an insightful look into the series. I didn't even catch a lot of that and you articulated it elegantly.

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you Fin Fen!

[@heybesti3]

You should give VINLAND SAGA a try, I think you'll love it. The script and plot development is top notch. Like the name suggest, the story expands over decades (comparable to GoT & Last Kingdom) and season 2 is on its way!

[@OneTakeVids]

Will do! It’s been on my list for a while, this comment might be the thing that FINALLY gets me to watch it haha

[@whootywhoo6274]

Vinland sagas first arc is my favorite in manga and anime. I have no idea why, but it just spoke to me sooo hard. Oooooof soo good

[@madsus5984]

Watched it, loved it, dying for more episodes

[@PKiX]

as soon as i finished watching vinland saga season 1 i immediately went and read the manga, which i've never done before. damn good show

[@OneTakeVids]

Just reporting back that I watched Ep 1 the other night and throughly enjoyed it. Adding Vinland Saga to my nightly ritual for the next couple weeks to watch through season 1!

[@aghaight]

“To be good is to think and create, to be evil is to succumb and consume” dawg you had me till this point. I love the show, and your analysis is good and interesting. And it doesn’t seem like you’re building the argument there.

[@Crichjo32]

I love this show because it depicts such a positive message, that yes whilst the world is depressing and cruel, we can make it better but we have to act on it. We can achieve happiness, but you have to fight for it. We have to believe in something better and not give in to our base desires, where evil will step in and lure you into a dark pit. Be proactive and not inactive.

[@c0dakw0lfgaang48]

Yeah and to be honest, if we check throughout history, the church has committed grave attrocities only in the name of religion due to their ignorance, fear and a sense of superiority. Whatever shown in this show does resonate with reality. And the

[@harrisonpeterson3733]

This, as someone who hasn't watched the show, just bits and pieces, makes me SO happy! I love stories like this! Yeah, things can be shitty, but it's up to US to decide if they need to stay that way, or if things, as in we, can change for the better. And, their are multiple ways of bringing about that good.

[@UToobUsername01]

Yes but even after you build other builders get jealous of your stuff and want to invade. That is where I would like to see the theme of piracy and viking raiders introduced in the story. Just because you are good doesn't mean everyone else will like this. You heard the old saying: "No good deed goes unpunished" If you are too good people will see you as a threat to the community because they are outshined and that is when you become a target. You see this in nature when a good looking girl walks down the street the other girls get jealous and want to murder her because she is competition. So war is inside the blood of humans. Lord of the Rings got it right: the One Ring symbolises our thirst for power over other people. If we don't have it we envy those that do and either wish to become sucessfull like them or hate them and try to eliminate them form the competition. Today's version of that is corporate control over politicians to give them easy pass so they can game the system. Just because we are not cave men anymore doesn't mean we are not still savages in suits. This is why spirituality is important as it forces you to reflect on your sins and rate your overall goodness properly. Every bad guy thinks they are justified in the thing they do when they get caught doing it. That is a result of not reflecting on why they think that. It's easy to be lazy and not think about it, because it makes you look better than you really are.

[@emachiavelli_]

Everything in me hated St. Germaine. Every time he came in screen in the most recent season, I wanted to turn the show off. You literally could’ve just asked for help. There’s nothing I hate more than I liar who lies for no reason other than to lie.

[@Sid_Streams]

His nature is to lie, deceive, butter people up, like a true court hermaphrodite. You can see that in the series he struggled against this nature, with questionable results.

[@lauragraves4342]

You can't spell Germaine without germ. I agree 1,000%!!!

[@EndymionMhr]

Only character I call a bastard.

[@mikek7660]

The fight between alucard and trevor and the final fight against Dracula just...were SO GOOD. And the conclusion of Dracula's story just broke my heart completely

[@archangel5627]

Castlevania is one of the very best animated shows I’ve ever seen. All four seasons are absolutely epic. The level of character development, action, motivation, and the overall main overarching plot is second to none. I loved everything about this series and I was so sad it ended with only four seasons.

[@chilipeen7265]

Weirdly the past few nights I’ve been rewatching the series . I watch / listen before bed .

[@OneTakeVids]

Good timing for this vid then! 😁 but I can definitely see that, there are a lot of parts I can see myself coming back to in the future for a rewatch

[@derekdrake8706]

As a kid who grew up in the 90's, it hit me pretty early on how everything felt meaningless. Aside from having atomic armageddon hanging over our heads, I realized that one day everything dies, everything will change, anything we build will inevitably erode and fade away in time. Death in this series represented more than just Death or Evil, it represented Entropy. I also asked myself how could I bring a life into a world this bad? How could I be a parent when I never had a good example of one? Eventually I realized that if everyone came to that conclusion then there'd be no future, it would be the death of hope. Building a future, creating new life, even in the bleakest of times, keeps the flame of hope alive.. and while that flame may be snuffed out by some cosmic event one day, it's the struggle itself that brings meaning to our lives.

[@deltaflash7889]

Castlevania filled the rift that the shitshow that was GoT season 8 left. The show has multiple protagonists of their own stories, when done right this is my favourite kind of storytelling. The world really felt alive and not just revolving around trevor, who is also an amazing mc.

[@oklahomie95]

Exactly. Not being stuck in a single storyline and being “forced” to root for one person and instead being able to appreciate the many perspectives is the best kind of story because it’s how life really is. Not so black and white

[@PetterNe]

This, so much! This show finally presented me with a worthy substitute m to FMA Brotherhood. I’ve waited for that for a decade.

[@andrejones5441]

... Wow, this was a phenomenal breakdown of this series.

[@OneTakeVids]

Thanks Andre!

[@joaofwolf]

I was nowhere near ready for the depth the story took as the seasons went on. The final episode is just magnificent.

[@rudymarroquin397]

Isaac my favorite character in the show and they way his entire thought process and beliefs change over time was amazing to watch

[@JTByrd386]

4:56 This was the scene that elevated this series beyond everything for me.

[@RottenRoss]

I feel we should take what Dracula screams at Alucard (Which you do go into). "There are NO innocents. Not anymore! Anyone of them could've stepped up and said "No, we won't behave like animals anymore". No one apologized to him, save for the one woman who was a patient of Lisa's. Which, he left live. He didn't kill her, and it was made a point in the first episode of the second season. He tells her to leave. Also, when he appeared at the city and warned humanity of his wrath and gave them one year to prepare, they didn't listen. They had a celebration on that day the following year. Celebrating the death of a "witch", the only human to challenge and love Dracula. Lisa. Dracula is in pain because no one apologized. No one stood up, and they let a corrupted government take what he cared for most. He gave them a chance, and they let him down. Which yes, lead him down to giving into his pain and wanting to afflict it on the world that betrayed goodness. So I ask, why are monsters rarely the beasts?

[@dkeener99]

Very true about most media these days. There’s a trend towards nihilism and moral ambiguity. It’s good to see three dimensional characters in Castlevania that come to the same conclusions about good and evil through their own journey, struggles and revelations.

[@nothingiseverperfect]

Honestly this whole show came out of left field. They quite literally kept improving, every.single.season and it was absolutely fantastic. Well done to the studio and team.

[@SPACEHARICE]

it's such a strange show you both support both the villains and the heros you get Dracula is just in morning you get why his own people betrayed him

[@EndymionMhr]

More so you can kinda see the villains view

[@Wulfen109]

Castlevania has some of the best character development/arcs out of any show I've seen in awhile

[@moonknight87]

I sympathize with Dracula, I’m scared what would happen if my family was taken from me, would I burn the world for them? Also he has a point “they could have decided we aren’t gonna be animals anymore.” Humans have to make the effort to not be shit. Edit: just made it to the point you cover this. I fall prey to Trevor folly

[@robdawg7183]

I’ve got a wonderful wife and 3 loving daughters.I would burn it down😈

[@Kinos141]

I know I would, but maybe direct it to the ones responsible still.

[@Avenus112]

Dracula was understandable but inexcusable. If I was where Trevor was I would let the world burn too, all that humans ever showed him was how terrible they all were and he had to survive hell on earth and build something for himself before he could learn it was a sampling bias, not universal.

[@ricoambro]

@@Avenus112 Exactly. Dracula was nearly immortal, had all the power and decided to lay back instead of use his power to achieve peace. When he lost it all he acted with rage, in the end trying to kill his future, his son, and accepted his death as he saw the evil in himself. Powerful writing imo, also ironic how they tried to create a fused vessel for Dracula and Lisa while Alucard, the perfect being, was there the whole time

[@jasoncruz19800]

@@ricoambro Alucard was far from perfect..

[@bryantsoto7326]

I know it’s an old video, but you’re final point really was a revelation for me. I love the series, but when I first saw the ending I was a bit disappointed feeling like the writers copped out with Belmont, Dracula and Lisa. But clearly, through cinema, we’ve just overcome a great deal of modernism and skepticism. Now, in this new age of meta modernism we must strive to not only seek knowledge and truth, but to act and build on this. Pretty much the point of your video critique. Thanks for sharingZ

[@yensid4294]

I was pleasantly surprised by this anime. It's very creative in exploring the concepts of forgiveness/redemption & other theological/ philisophical ideas.

[@NT-sx2bd]

This video is so good, it just motivated me to be a better person and to make more things.

[@clarencep90]

This show was so dang good, the fight scenes were wild. Love the team work between the three protagonist.

[@sparkeykills1]

Bro that scene on the boat with the captain is probably hands down my favorite scene in the whole show. It's so nuanced and smart while also being another view on what human cruelty is. So fucking good

[@thaddeusicengard3944]

I like your comprehensive analysis of the show. Good Job sir! I love this series.

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you sir!

[@amongtheruins]

I have not played the games, but i watched the show when it came out and i liked it. Your analyzation made me appreciate it so much more! great video!

[@felliphegoes57]

OMG, pretty good point of view! I loved the show, it has so many things to think and discuss in castlevania, and I dont see many people going deep on those, as u did.

[@mlbray1]

I needed this video and somehow I found it today. Thank you

[@OneTakeVids]

Glad you enjoyed it 🙏

[@PirateKingZay]

Amazing analysis man. Love the show and didn’t think anything could make it better. Thank you for proving me wrong. I wasn’t subscribed but now I am. Great work really🔥👍🏾

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you Isaiah!!

[@jamesflowers1295]

Isaac's character is one of the few Netflix changes that was loved by everyone

[@JDuel100]

I remember Isaac's line about 'the eternal present' and the chills I felt about how resonating that was with life. About reacting and never building for a future.

[@frostkiller]

My favorite quote from the show “You see, you can use a hammer to build a house or crack a skull.” -Isaac

[@rikudo282]

Lenore is my favorite lady in this series besides carmilla, sypha, and Dracula's wife. She's just so beautiful as a character to me.

[@lordpoundcake2317]

I'm not sure if anyone will read this, but here goes. When this series first launched, I thought the dialog scenes with Isacc and the night creatures were the most profound written moments of the show. However, it was not until after watching this video that I considered giving into the emotion of rage and wrath or spite. Thanks, this was a fun watch.

[@spawnofgreatness524]

I had no idea how deep Castlevania is. It literally has nothing to do with the idea of just simple vampires and creatures of the night but more so on choices made when a person feels like they have been done wrong while thinking and logic goes out the window..... sounds familiar as it relates to society as a whole?..... of course it does...... so we need to smarten up as a society or even individually or we will never truly find happiness in this life and forever remain in the Darkness

[@genshaw6794]

the fact that the seasons had like below 10 episodes and yet it felt like a long journey a good one

[@vichofernandez1453]

For me castlevania was about corruption Also when dracula says there are no innocents it really resonated with me. You called them the actions of a few but the church only holds power because people allow it. They allowed his wife to be burned for being a witch in the center of the plaza it wasnt a silent assassination.

[@natepearson9804]

Yes humanity is terrible, and I don't just mean in Castlevania. This has been true forever and it always will be true. Dracula's problem is not realizing that one heinous crime does not justify another.

[@patrickripleyiii134]

Yeah Dracula wouldn't and couldn't admit that he was just as bad as they were, he was committing atrocities for a long time before he met his wife

[@Dacore_DE]

So, every one who stood up for Lisa would have burned branded as Witch next to her, because its clear that those in power dont care about the people and the truth. Maybe Dracula forgot about fear, because of his long life. But if he cant understand that no one is willing to do a meaningless sacrifice for a stranger, then he denies reallity. He had the power to easily free ppl from an oppresive system, instead he decided to burn the world. Besides why he didnt see that coming ? He was wandering around humanity for some time, thanks to Lisa. Didnt he realised that in a church controlled land one woman of science alone could be in massive danger ? Foolish.

[@niffellbique3744]

FACTS

[@ethanmagdaleno5332]

3:12 God the delivery of that line is incredible. I wish we had gotten to see more of him in house of the dragon but I think his character becomes more prominent later in the series

[@MegaTwojastaraxD]

Lenore's potential as a character was wasted imo and Her relation with Hector as well.. and OMG this plot-twist with Dracula and Lisa... tho wholesome and all it was like really hard try of making a happy enough ending for the series :v

[@nathanmorgan3647]

Couldn't agree more.

[@lockekappa500]

I didnt even want a happy ending for those two, because honestly I dont think they could have had one. But what we got....felt...so abrupt.

[@delfinangel96]

I totally agree with you, Lenore's death was totally senseless , she would have adapted herself to the new circumstances and even more with the help of Hector ,but they decided to make her kill herself ... smh

[@gorasul12]

Rothbart in The Swan Princess was a bit aware of this, "once you steal something you spend your whole life fighting to keep it"

[@BUckENbooz]

I loved this anime. Out of all the games, Dracula was just "the final boss". a Means to a end. In this anime, they humanized him. I cared and understood him, even after all the killing he ordered. This anime was gold.... Long live Castlevania. If they make more games, please......... dont fuck it up.

[@LightningCasino]

Gotta say excellent vid with some very eye opening concepts so thank you

[@sebastianchantre3152]

I really wish the show continued. Hector and Isaac are incredibly compelling characters that I'll miss.

[@oklahomie95]

I think the show is so great because they knew exactly where they were going and where they were going to end with it. A lot of show ruin themselves by stretching too long. I’m sure the next show(s) they create will be just as good!

[@PetterNe]

Apparently the show was canceled because of MeToo bullshit (women accusing the writer of sexual misconduct). Feminism is truly the vampirism of the real world. In the end, the writer was burnt at the stake just like Dracula’s wife.

[@user-dv9lx7su9p]

Umm….anyways, there’s a new trailer! It came out a couple of days ago

[@tommyshelby9517]

@@user-dv9lx7su9ptitle??

[@professorgrimm4602]

Isaac is one of my favourite characters in all of fiction. The show did absolutely incredible with its characters, especially Isaac. Like 11/10

[@peturgullak4527]

at 3:11 you dont show what he says in context. anyone could have stepped in and saved her or die trying. only leaving 2 options. 1 she is saved. or 2 no one tried or all that did try are dead. meaning what he said is 100% correct.

[@BrandonFegenbush]

This is really really good insights. Well done

[@plumpcosplay8562]

I loved castlevania.. I finished the series a few days ago and I agree with your perspective. The ending was perfect.

[@gundanout11]

CASTLEVANIA anime feel like a Berserk anime.

[@wademeitner6605]

Watched a few times, thanks for making me think about it deeply. Thanks again from Panama city Beach, FL

[@ClergetMusic]

Great analysis. I love this series.

[@svetoslavkrastev228]

Got to say - that was some very impressive analisys. Watched with interest till the end of the vid 👍👍👌👌👍👍

[@nebulus48]

My only real issue with the handling of Dracula in the series was that, it treated Dracula like he wasn’t evil until Lisa died. Dracula in the game series was always a bad dude, Lisa didn’t change that. And thus, the other Belmonts had reason to exist. If Dracula is treated as morally misunderstood, or as the victim, it will be awkward when Richter comes in during Castlevania nocturne.

[@Revkor]

No he was evil but mellwoed out when Lisa came around. at that point he was burnt out. she gave him life and purpose again. maybe even redeem him. then the stupid bishop had her killed and his old self came to the fore one last time to end it all.

[@carna-9501]

I think you're forgetting that Dracula wasn't always evil. He once knew Leon Belmont and fought at his side in the crusades, he started down the path of evil when he returned from the crusades and found his wife dead from an illness. He went down that path because he served God and it got him nothing. This is all from Lament of Innocence btw.

[@hiphopstrongman]

@@carna-9501 Came in to say this. Honestly it would’ve been better if the Netflix adaptation started at Lament of Innocence. The fact that we see a portrait of Leon shows that the creators are aware of the already established timeline, and it’d give Dracula a proper and complete backstory.

[@benjaminklass5118]

Maybe it's similar to how Ivan IV of Russia became a harsher ruler following the death of his wife (which may have been due to poisoinig). It was said that her presence had a calming effect on him.

[@alexanderbogdan8327]

It really gave me a good mood and felt energized at the end of the series, it was indeed a really nice approach. Btw I live 30 km from the actual Targoviste, people should know that this place actually exists and can come and visit as it holds many stories from Vlad the Impaler's time along with the entire medieval period of Wallachia, nowadays Romania, it used to be the capital of the region back in those times

[@jerrym1218]

Death should be the final boss/antagonist for us all, “To conquer death without fear in your heart, is to truly live on even if it’s beyond your own existence”.

[@skhan7994]

This is the most underrated series. It deserves so much hype

[@qrowtherapy9338]

For me, it s just about Trevor, it s about seeing him destroying night creatures and vampires with just pure skills and tools. Just like Berserk, a human triumph against monsters is inspiring. It makes me want to keep struggling no matter how hard life get.

[@teodoraslozoraitis7409]

Interesting observation! True, humans capable of overcoming monsters without magic or any innate supernatural abilities are always inspiring in a realistic way; strength gained through actual hard work, practice, honing the skills of a particular weapon, and experience, while emphasizing willpower and persevarance humans can demonstrate during grueling circumstances. Underrated examples of such characters IMO are Lady from Devil may cry and Raki from Claymore.

[@rik0904]

there is this quote 'human nature is something put on to raise above', this single quote change me mind on so many things

[@williamnone]

When Trevor mentions doing nothing to allow evil bastards to rule it is a call back to the end of Symphony of the Night where Alucard tells Richter Belmont and Marie an old Biblical quote. "The only thing that allows Evil to prosper is for Good Men to do Nothing."

[@jordanmiles3590]

I MISS THIS SHOW SO MUCH

[@starclone4]

This show was so well written, and produced !!!! It's better than most live action programs...😊

[@recluseauhermitticus2033]

If humanity were good. . there wouldnt be so much chaos because of only a "few bad apples".

[@MrYFM2]

This, in my opinion, is the best video essay on Netflix's Castlevania series! Beautifully delivered and explained. I cannot agree more with what was covered in the video too!

[@OneTakeVids]

Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words!

[@mysteryneophyte]

This show was so sooooo good, I have been a fan of Castlevania for decades now and I couldn’t have asked for a better animated series telling its story.

[@alexjosuemoralez6271]

Castlevania blew all expectations!! Question tho.. where did you get your back ground music? I really want to know.

[@OneTakeVids]

You can find it here! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWfLimqad5pnmMU Karl Casey (White Bat Audio) puts out a bunch of awesome royalty free synthwave!

[@jay.ostojic]

Excellent video essay. Very very well said.

[@raheelsiddiq1057]

I want castlevania series continues with Christopher Belmont, Simon Belmont, Juste Belmont, Richter Belmont, then Julius Belmont . Not directly to Richter Belmont. The castlevania series ends with Dawn of Sorrow timeline.

[@highwind4559]

Wooord!

[@highwind4559]

And also better monster-details. Slogra and Gaebon looked like shit.

[@soonny002]

It's all about balance... imagine giving in to the urge of eating cake. Do it all the time and you'd become fat and miserable (not to mention die of obesity), but being too afraid of cake leads to an eating disorder. But this idea of thinking is good and feeling is bad is too simplistic to describe human (or vampiric?) suffering. We are evolutionarily programmed to avoid pain more than seeking pleasure, hence we usually 'give in' to a certain emotion (i.e. anger) because we want to avoid feeling something more painful. Dracula gives in to anger to avoid feeling the pain of losing Lisa. No amount of thinking is going to stop him from feeling, however, only by feeling different things will it change his thinking. Feelings ALWAYS come before thoughts, just reflect on this the next time you come across a slice of cake - although you can choose not to eat the cake, but why the need to make a choice in the first place if the urge isn't there?

[@mlk4life]

it was SUCH a good show. LOVED it.

[@WXSTANG]

I remember the entire time being torn between all the characters, and made for a great series. Thanks for the great overview, it really made me think about our modern world and verified what I am doing... building something better somewhere where I can have an effect on the outcome.

[@saga4298]

100/10 best show recommend to watch

[@shahabodinphoenix7502]

Wow. Excellent. All this time, I did not know about feeling vs. thinking way of life until you mentioned it, and all suddenly clicked. Srsly wow. Food job

[@SephJoek]

Lenore's death was a great allegory. She thought she was progressive with her new age ethical consumption policies. But when faced with the concept of living in a world without her privileged power over an entire class of people, she simply can't understand Hectors perspective and literally fades out of the way. Great video btw.

[@of5606]

damn, lenore is a metaphor for "ethical capitalism". didn't expect this show to be so based

[@greenman6141]

This was excellent. Proper literary analysis. Don't see much of that on KZbin. This is how you do it...by proving that thee is a theme via evidence from events and characters.

[@amayawoods846]

All I want is to feel the love between Striga and Morana, nothing made me happier than seeing them be happy and in love

[@lockekappa500]

Wild they had the most stable relationship out of anyone lol.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

@@lockekappa500 even lisa and dracula?

[@victorhayes5471]

Great summary, made me rethink plenty regarding my own outlooks on what life is and can be, with a bit of proactivity.

[@sabrinagrant8003]

Okay, I’ll go back and give “castlevania “ a Watch see.

[@OneTakeVids]

Enjoy :) just a warning: It’s a pretty gory show, pretty much starting in the first few min, in case that’s not your thing!

[@mightyeye4624]

You won’t be disappointed

[@ronzanabell7315]

excellent video, excellent character breakdown. Inspirational, tragic and hopeful all in one.

[@TENINCHLUVABOY]

GREAT VID. SUBBED.

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you! And fantastic username!! 👌

[@TENINCHLUVABOY]

@@OneTakeVids Thanks.

[@7xtreme7muffin7]

I really enjoyed this video. It was well thought out and articulate.